by CL Schaffer

Created on: August 22, 2008   Last Updated: June 15, 2010

I remember childhood being lonesome, quiet, and shy. I grew up with two young parents and no siblings. We had a cat though, who disliked me quite a bit. My family was on the poor end of the stick, and both parents worked to keep our family afloat. I don't recall memories spent with my father or even my mother. I remember both of them working and me, being made fun of in school.

We lived in the poor side of town in a small apartment that I can still remember the layout too. I remember the wood stairs that creaked as I went to the second story apartment. I remember scraping my arms on the plaster in the hallway whenever I walked by.
Childhood is supposed to be happy and fun filled. My moments were spent mainly within the confines of my room. I can recall it to this very day.
I had a small twin bed with pink and purple Barbie sheets, and a multitude of Babysitters Club books. I believe Goosebumps books were beginning to fill this collection at this point in my childhood. My room didn't quite have carpet but rather a run the shape of the room but it didn't go all the way to the wall. Maybe about 8 to 12 inches from the wall. A picture perfect diamond shaped window was at the far end. I was so happy when I was tall enough to look out of it.
Barbies loitered my room in between the space of the carpet and the wall. Cars,vans,hair salon, grocery market, bedroom, living rooms. You name it. I had it, and it was all Barbie.
Two friends existed at that time and we were all within the same boat. Poor, and not as becoming as the other children within our classroom. Going to the rich elementary school meant long bus rides, and torturing students who thought it was funny.
I'll never forget the first time on the bus. We went from one side of town to the other. $25,000 homes to the $250,000 homes were most of the elementary school resided. It was like a weed in a field of daisies. It was an awkward moment but it mentally put me in my place of knowing where I ranked at the time. Also where I ranked in the scheme of things.
This was also the time of receiving my first "F", my parents divorcing, and pets dying for the first time. This also included parents dating, remarriages, moving to new school districts, moving to new towns, and going through a multitude of transitions.
Life changed when I went into the teenage years. The innocence gets lost and we forget about the little things. Even now that 15+ years have passed, I can still remember specific experiences down to the people involved.
After all, isn't life just one big transition to the next?
It's little things like that, that I refuse to forget.

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